The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-09-06
DEVEL0PINGTHENEWS SOUTH
What Gen. Wilder Says About the Won
derful Resources of the Country.
Progress of Work on His New Railroad, Which
Will Be the Shortest Line from Indi-
annapolis to the Seaboard.

Brieadier-general John T. Wilder was in the
city yesterday, on his way to the reunion of his
famous mounted infantry brigade which is TO
be held at Graencastle on Wednesday and Thurs
day of this week. He appears in excellent
health, and in high spirits at the prospect of
getting among his old soldiers. When Journal
reporter found him he in a specially jubi-
liant mood over the discovery of the original
colors of his regiment-the Seventeenth Voun-
teers. When the regiment entered the three
years service they drew flag from the State
authorities. and carried it through their hard
fighting of that time. When they re-enlisted
at the close of the three years term they drew
new flag from the national government and
the old flag passed into the custody of Henry
w. Tutewiler, of this city, who preserved it
until yesterday, he presented it to General
Wilder. He had supposed that the old standard
was lost, and hailed it as friend from the
grave.
Perhaps no man has been more influential in
creating ''the New South" than General Wilder.
Hitherto he has been engaged chiefly in the iron
industry at Chattanooga, but for six months
past he has been in supervision of the construc-
ton of the north half of the Charleston, Cincin-
natl e. Chicago railroad, which is being built in
almost direct line from Ashland. on the
Ohio river, to Charleston. South Carolina. Heis
Vice-president of the company that is building
the road.
Your line will give the Northwest new
outlet" was remarked to the General
YES" he replied at will be the shortest
line to the seaboard from Chicago Toledo In
dianapolis and Cincinnati"
what character of country do you traverse?'
1.-THE finest mineral country in America. We
cut through the extensive coal field of eastern
Kentucky. the greatest undeveloped coal field in
the United States and through the great IRON
beds Of eastern Tennessee, southwestern Vir-
cna, and western North Carolina There is
belt of about three hundred miles between the
nearest parallel lines east and west of us; con-
sequently, we shall open country. and in /.
several respects. especially to the iron indus
try, it is destined to be of the highest impor-
tance"
will it be equal to the Alabama region that
has attracted so much attention of late?
II consider it superior. We have better coal.
and moro of il. We have all the red hemati.e
ores that are in use at Birmingham. and also
much finer class of ores for the manufacture of
Bessemer STEEL You may judge of my conf
dence in the region by the fact that have pur-
chased $1,000 acres of land within the last
month. By the way, Northern people have
heard so much of Birmingham that they think
the manufacturing interests of the South center
there. This is deusion that results from the |
boom that place has received Chattanooga has |
more than twice many manufactures as
and pays more than three times
much wages annually. Chattanooga has 121 |
factories of all kinds, and more than 5000 |
skilled workmen. | built the first iron |
works there, and the first in the South. eighteen
years ago. Now more than a hundred millions |
are invested in that industry in the South. |
There are seven millions and half invested in |
at Chattanooga, and the yearly |
product is twelve millions"
When will your road be completed2"
we expect TO finish it in about two years and |
a hnlf h0D foroo 1e u
us Charleston enough of a commercial town
Tor good terminus"
'Oh, yes. 1t is the best city on the Southern
with perhaps the exception of Savan-
nah, which ranks close it. 1t has bee a rather
slow, but it has been wakened to life oy the
discovery of the enormous beds of phosphates
W hich are now known to underiie five counties
about It. These are beds OF fossil fish bones.
shells and other animal remains which are used
Tor fertilizers There ars remains of all sorts of
marine and ampniblons monsters among them.
They find sharks teeth there so large that nat
Iralists compute that the monsters whose |
mouths they filled most have been one hundred
and fifty feet long
"Ani how is the country back of that2"
1T is all good. First, cross the cotton re-
zion Of South Carolina Then we go through a
stretch of pine forests that have almost unlim-
ted possibilities in the way of lum Der. Then
re strike great beds of asbestos and kaolin in
western North Carolina. Then we come the
ron ores of all kinds, of which 1 have spoken;
sd finally tie coal of Kentucky. 1t is the
heaviest coking coal in the country and seems
At some of the railroad cuttings
eams Of coal aggregating AZ feet in thickness
ire exposed above the grade. These beds ex-
end over a region $50 miles wide We reach
he Ohio river at Ashland, in the center of
district that has forty flour iron furnaces, which
'et their coal from Pennsylvania and their iron
rom Michigan. We can bring them material at
less on the ton than they now paying
General Wilder expects great results from
his railroad enterprise. He hopes be able TO
etire from active life after five years more Of
york, and enjoy the fruits of his laborious and
seful life. He leaves to-day for Greencastle
nth his family.